Flashlight

Flashlight written and illustrated by Lizi Boyd (2014)

One night, a boy takes his flashlight camping with him. After reading a book in his tent, the boy goes outside in the dark. As he walks, he shines the light on the many things hiding in the darkness all around him. He sees a boot lying in the grass, bats flying in the air, mice in the grass, an owl in the tree, skunks behind a tree, sticks in the pond, and a beaver in the dam. The farther he goes into the woods, the more his flashlight reveals to him. At one point, the boy stumbles on a rock and his flashlight is picked up by a raccoon. As all the other animals look on, the raccoon shines the light on the boy. The other animals each take a turn shining the light on the boy. Bit by bit, the boy is revealed to the animals. Eventually the light is shone on the boy’s tent. He returns to the tent and his book, and a family of mice hold the flashlight for him so he can read.

Lizi Boyd tells this story without words and with loads of imaginative, fun, light/dark artwork. In addition to the flashlight illuminating the story as it unfolds, there are tiny peepholes on each page foreshadowing the next page.

I can’t wait to share this picture book with a very inquisitive and not-sleepy granddaughter at bedtime. I know she’ll love exploring this little boy’s environment from the darkness of her own bedroom.